history
FLOOR REFINISHING
DAY 1
These hardwood floors run throughout the house except for the kitchen, master bath, and guest bath. Even the half bathrooms are hardwood. The floors in the Master Suite are in great shape. They were installed by the previous owner, so we won't be refinishing them.
The floors are a mix of red and white oak, and the oldest part of the house which now the parlor and originally the kitchen is Dade County Pine.
All of the floors will be sanded and left natural with a matte finish for protection.
The Parlor Before Sanding
DADE COUNTY PINE
The Parlor floor is Dade County Pine. A native Florida tree, the name is misleading, implying that it is specifically from Dade County in Florida. However, Dade County Pine is native to South Florida and the Keys but was harvested as far north as the shores of Georgia and Alabama. Dade County Pine is a subspecies of Longleaf Southern Yellow Pine and comes from the “heart” of the tree aka heart pine. Some know it as Dade County Slash Pine. It is a high demand construction material because it is strong, dense, and highly resistant to decay and insect damage.
Since the old growth trees have all been harvested, it means that this wood is basically extinct.
THE REST OF THE HOUSE
FORMAL LIVING ROOM - A blend of red and white oak
FLORIDA ROOM - Red oak with a seam and then white oak
THE PARLOR - Dade County Pine & Antique Yellow Pine
THE LIBRARY - A blend of red and white oak
THE STAIRS - A blend of red and white oak
THE HALLWAY - Antique Yellow Pine
THE BEDROOMS - Antique Yellow Pine
THE MASTER SUITE - Engineered White Oak
Day 2.
Week 2
Week 2 (continued)
This is the floor right after the second coat of polyurethane was applied. It's still wet which is why it's so shiny. The poly is rolled on thick with a roller and then it's buffed and vacuumed between each clear coat. After this coat gets buffed and vacuumed the filler areas (bottom of the first 2 pics) will be stained and painted by hand to match the wood. The final clear coat will seal it in.
FINISHED FLOORS
Week 2 (continued)
All of the floors now have 3 coats of matte poly on them and are dry to walk on. The variations of wood grain and color are beautiful. The age and imperfections are on full display, showing off the character of these antique floors. This is exactly what we were trying to achieve. We wanted to celebrate their age rather than hiding it with a dark stain.
